Protein matrix vaccines and related methods of making and administering such vaccines

Abstract

The invention relates to vaccine compositions having a carrier protein and an antigen of interest entrapped in a complex, methods of making such vaccines, and methods of vaccine administration.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of eliciting an immune response in a subject against an infectious agent, said method comprising administering to a subject in an amount sufficient to induce the production of antibodies in said subject a vaccine composition comprising an antigen of interest and a carrier protein matrix, wherein (i) said carrier protein matrix comprises covalently cross-linked carrier protein molecules, (ii) no more than 50% of said antigen of interest is covalently cross-linked to said carrier protein molecules, and (iii) said antigen is entrapped with said carrier protein matrix to form a complex. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method comprises a second administering step wherein said vaccine composition is administered to said subject in an amount sufficient to boost the production of antibodies in said subject. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said production of antibodies is T-cell dependent. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said production of antibodies is sufficient to prevent or reduce infection of said subject by an infectious agent. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said infectious agent is pneumococcus, meningococcus,  Haemophilus influenzae  type B,  Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Francisella tularensis, Shigella  species,  Salmonella  species,  Acinetobacter  species,  Burkholderia  species, and  Escherichia coli.    
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method comprises a second administering step wherein a second vaccine composition comprising an antigen of interest is provided to said subject in an amount sufficient to boost the production of antibodies in said subject. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said production of antibodies is sufficient to prevent or reduce infection of said subject by a second infectious agent. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibodies are IgG antibodies. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said antibodies are IgG antibodies. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject is a human. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antigen of interest is a polysaccharide, a polyalcohol, or a poly amino acid. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antigen of interest comprises two or more antigens of interest. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said polysaccharide comprises at least 18 residues. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein said polysaccharide is a  Streptococcus pneumoniae  polysaccharide,  Francisella tularensis  polysaccharide,  Bacillus anthracis  polysaccharide,  Haemophilus influenzae  polysaccharide,  Salmonella typhi  polysaccharide,  Salmonella  species polysaccharide,  Shigella  polysaccharide, or  Neisseria meningitidis  polysaccharide. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said  Streptococcus pneumoniae  polysaccharide is capsular type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 7C, 7F, 8, 9A, 9L, 9N, 9V, 10A, 10B, 10F, 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11F, 12A, 12B, 12F, 13, 14, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15F, 16A, 16F, 17A, 17F, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18F, 19A, 19B, 19C, 19F, 20, 21, 22F, 23B, 23F, 24A, 24B, 24F, 25A, 25F, 27, 28A, 28F, 29, 31, 32A, 32F, 33A, 33B, 33D, 33F, 34, 35A, 35B, 35F, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41A, 41F, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47A, 47F, or 48.